Ball retrieving and storage devices

ABSTRACT

A ball retrieving and storage device includes a container having an elongated handle extending above it, and one or more movable gate members in the bottom of the container. In one form of the invention, each gate member comprises a vertically movable elongated lifting bar having loops at its opposite ends loosely fitted around opposite sides of the container for allowing the bar to move vertically up and down relative to the bottom of the container. In another form of the invention, the gate members are hinged to a portion of the container bottom and adapted to swing into the container. Balls are retrieved from the ground by placing the bottom of the container over the balls and exerting a downward force on the handle to force the balls up against the bottom of the movable gate member which opens the gate and provides an enlarged opening in the bottom of the container for allowing each ball to pass into the container. Continued downward movement causes the moving gate to engage stop bars on opposite sides of the container for limiting further vertical movement of the gate sufficiently to allow the equator of each ball to pass through the enlarged opening and then allow the gate to automatically drop to a closed position to retain the balls in the container. A cylindrical-shaped cage also is disclosed which provides a rotary type ball retriever adapted to be rolled on the ground to engage balls which automatically open gate members spaced around the outer circumference of the cage.

United States atent [191 Hoagland et a1.

[ Dec. 16, 1975 BALL RETRIEVING AND STORAGE DEVICES [76] Inventors: Amos N. Hoagland, 1062 N. Vinedo Ave., Pasadena, Calif. 91107; Jens S. Jensen, 9618 Sante Fe Springs Road, Santa Fe Springs, Calif. 90670 [22] Filed: Jan. 28, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 437,525

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 364,370, May 29,

1973, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 294/19 A; 214/356 [51] Int. Cl. A47F 13/06; B65F 3/00 [58] Field of Search... 294/19 R, 19 A, 87 R, 87.22, 294/87.24, 87.26; 56/328 R", 214/356; 220/94 R; 248/130, 136, 145.3, 145.6

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,965,726 7/1934 Smith 248/130 X 2,413,679 l/l947 Binder 214/356 2,510,392 6/1950 Everhart 294/87.22

2,972,851 2/1961 Goehring 294/19 A X 3,046,044 7/1962 Christle 294/19 A 3,215,293 ll/l965 Kelly et al 294/19 A X 3,227,298 1/1966 Shoemaker 294/19 A X 3,258,286 .6/1966 Coward 294/19 A 3,371,950 3/1968 Stap 294/19 A X 3,804,449 /1974 Falitz 294/19 A 3,820,836 6/1974 Seewagen et a1. 294/19 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 152,771 11/1903 Germany 294/19 A Primary ExaminerRichard A. Schacher Assistant Examiner Johnny D. Cherry Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Christie, Parker & Hale [57] ABSTRACT A ball retrieving and storage device includes a container having an elongated handle extending above it, and one or more movable gate members in the bottom of the container. In one form of the invention, each gate member comprises a vertically movable elongated lifting bar having loops at its opposite ends loosely fitted around opposite sides of the container for allowing the bar to move vertically up and down relative to the bottom of the container. In another form of the invention, the gate members are hinged to a portion of the container bottom and adapted to swing into the container. Balls are retrieved from the ground by placing the bottom of the container over the balls and exerting a downward force on the handle to force the balls up against the bottom of the movable gate member which opens the gate and provides an enlarged opening in the bottom of the container for allowing each ball to pass into the container. Continued downward movement causes the moving gate to engage stop bars on opposite sides of the container for limiting further vertical movement of the gate sufficiently to allow the equator of each ball to pass through the enlarged opening and then allow the gate to automatically drop to a closed position to retain the balls in the container. A cylindrical-shaped cage also is disclosed which provides a rotary type ball retriever adapted to be rolled on the ground to engage balls which automatically open gate members spaced around the outer circumference of the cage.

\ 16 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures US. atent Dec.16,1975 SheetlofS 3,926,465

US. Patent Dec. 16,1975 Sheet2of5 3,926,465

US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet 4 of5 US. atent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet 5 of5 3,926,465

BALL RETRIEVING AND STORAGE DEVICES CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of our application Ser. No. 364,370, filed May 29, 1973 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to devices which allow a user to pick up balls from the ground without substantial bending at the waist.

At the present time, most tennis players going to a tennis court for a practice session take a bucket containing a large number of balls. Individual practice and teaching sessions generally involve the repetitive hitting of a large number of tennis balls. In some instances such practice sessions involve the use of machines for mechanically serving the balls to student players. Ultimately, the balls must be gathered into a receptacle to hold them before they are hit again.

Golf players going to a golf course for a practice session also take some type of container for holding a large number of balls. The golfer often practices chip shots by hitting balls from the fairway to the green. In this instance the balls also must be gathered into a receptacle before the player can return and hit the balls again.

In both of the above instances, the job of retrieving the balls requires a considerable amount of stooping and bending, effort, and time, and the time which is lost must be subtracted from that available for practice and play.

At the present time a device is available for allowing a player to retrieve tennis balls without continued bending over to pick them up. This prior art tennis ball retriever is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,371,950 to Stap. The prior art retrieving device generally comprises a receptacle having a long upright handle and a bottom formed by a grating made of rigid bars which are spaced apart slightly less than the diameter of a tennis ball. The receptacle is placed over balls resting on the court and the handle is pushed down toward the court surface to automatically squeeze the balls through the grating and into the receptacle. Thus, the user can retrieve a substantial number of balls without bending over and manually picking up each ball individually to place them in a receptacle. However, this prior art ball retrieving device has several disadvantages. For example, the required compression of the tennis balls inherent in using the device tends to abrade the balls and reduce their useful life. A substantial amount of force also must be applied by the user during each downward stroke of the device to compress the tennis balls between the rigid bars in the container bottom so the balls will be squeezed sufficiently to enter the container. Furthermore, since the device relies on compression for its use, it is not adaptable forpicking up golf balls which are not compressible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a device which allows a player to retrieve balls without the necessity of bending over and manually picking up each ball individually before placing them in a container. The device provided by this invention eliminates the disadvantages inherent in the prior art tennis ball retrieving device discussed above.

Briefly, the invention includes a container having a hollow interior for storing a substantial number of balls. At least a portion of the container bottom is formed by one or more movable gate members which open to allow the balls to enter through the bottom of the container. A user can retrieve a ball lying on the ground by forcing the bottom of the container down over the top of the ball. The ball engages the gate member and moves it upwardly to provide an enlarged opening which allows the ball to enter the container as the container is being progressively forced down over the top of the ball. The gate member ultimately comes into contact with stop means mounted on the container for limiting further upward movement of the gate member. The raised gate member thus is held momentarily in a fixed position by the stop means to allow a major portion of the ball to pass through the opening in the container bottom. The gate member is then automatically released from contact with the ball and the stop means to drop to its closed position to provide a portion of the container bottom which will retain the ball in the container.

In one form of the invention, the gate member comprises an elongated bar which is loosely fitted at its ends around substantially vertically extending frame members on opposite sides of the container. The bar slides vertically up and down on the frame members, and stop bars attached to opposite sides of the container above the movable bar limit vertical movement of the bar to a distance just sufficient to provide an opening substantially equal to the maximum diameter of the ball.

In another embodiment of the invention, the gate member comprises a hinged gate extending across the bottom of the container. The gate swings into the container to provide an enlarged opening in the container bottom when the gate is pushed into contact with a ball lying on the ground. Stop bars on opposite sides of the container limit upward movement of the hinged gate to momentarily hold the gate in a fixed position providing an opening approximately equal to the maximum diameter of the ball.

Thus, an improved ball retrieving device is provided which eliminates the substantial compression, deformation and abrasion inherent in the prior art tennis ball retriever discussed above. When compared with the prior art retrieving device, the present invention also reduces substantially the amount of force which the user must apply when using the ball retrieving device. By reducing the required operating force, the present ball retrieving device is easier to use, and is also less likely to mar or damage the playing surfaces, such as clay courts or new synthetic surfaces, which can be easily marred by exerting a substantial amount of downward pressure on the pickup device.

Another advantage of the present invention is its adaptability for use in retrieving golf balls, or other incompressible objects, since the retrieving device does not inherently require the retrieved object to be compressed.

Furthermore, the present invention means for forming an improved rotary ball retrieving device which generally comprises a cylindrical-shaped, closed cage which is rolled over balls lying on the ground and is capable of retrieving and containing as many as several hundred balls. The portion of the cage which contacts the balls includes a plurality of tlftlrhferentially spaced apart, elongated movable baf mm as the gate members for the cage. A pair of latfally spaced apart substantially circular frame members provide opposite sides of the cage, and stop means are provided on the opposite circular frame members for holding both ends of the several gate members in a loose fit permitting limited vertical movement relative to the ground for providing a sufficient opening for retrieving balls over which the cage is rolled.

These and other aspects of the invention will be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a ball retrieving and storage device;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 and showing the ball retrieving and storage device in use retrieving tennis balls;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in crosssection, showing an alternative form of the ball retrieving and storage device;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3 and showing the ball retrieving and storage device in use retrieving golf balls;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an alternate ball retrieving and storage device according to this invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation view taken on line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a rotary ball retrieving and storage device according to this invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation view taken on line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation view showing the rotary ball retrieving device of FIG. 7 in use retrieving tennis balls; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the rotary ball retrieving device of FIG. 7 in an inverted position in which the handle of the device provides a stand for holding the retrieved balls above the ground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, a ball retrieving and storage device 10 includes an open top container made of wire rod. The container includes several vertically spaced apart, rectangular wire rod frames 12 lying in substantially parallel planes. The bottom frame includes long legs 12a and short legs 12b. The rectangular frames are oriented relative to each other so that their corners are in common substantially vertical planes. A series of substantially upright elongated wire rods 14 lying in mutually substantially parallel planes are welded to the outer edges of the rectangular frames to form a rigid, rectangular-shaped skeleton framework for the container. The enclosed areas of the rectangular frames progressively increase toward the top of the container, and upright legs 14 diverge slightly outwardly from each other so that the container has outwardly tapered side walls.

A downwardly opening substantially Ushaped elongated handle 16 extends above the container. The handle includes legs 18 which taper narrower toward the top of the handle. The bottom portions of the legs are bent outwardly and then extend downwardly at 20 for attachment to cooperating substantially U-shaped frame-like brackets 22 which open inwardly toward the container and extend around respective pairs of container legs 14 at opposite ends of the container. An oblong closed retainer rod 24 slidably fits around handle legs 18. A pair of rods 25 at the top of the handle provide means for gripping the handle when the retrieving and storage device is carried. Rod 24 is releasably held in a fixed position at the point where the legs taper outwardly to hold the bottom portion of the handle in a fixed position releasably squeezing brackets 22 into engagement with opposite sides of the container. Thus, the handle can be easily removed from the container for storage purposes, with the tapered configuration of the container providing means for easily stacking a large number of the containers.

The bottom of the container preferably includes an elongated fixed center rod 26 extending parallel to long legs 12a of rectangular bottom frame 12 and rigidly secured to the top of the frames short legs 12b along the centerline of the area enclosed by the bottom frame.

The bottom of the container also includes four hinged gate members 28 adapted to open upwardly into the interior of the container. Two gate members are located on one side of center rod 26, and the other two gate members are located on the other side of center rod 26. The two outermost gate members each comprise an elongated round rod 30 extending parallel to and spaced inwardly from a corresponding long leg 12a of bottom rectangular frame 12. Preferably. each rod 30 is slightly longer than the longitudinal distance between shoit legs 12b of the bottom rectangular frame, so the extreme ends of each rod 30 can rest on top of short legs 12b.

Each rod 30 includes a pair of longitudinally spaced apart hinges 32 which are rigidly secured to the rod and extend away therefrom to wrap loosely around the adjaeent long leg 12a of the bottom frame so that each gate member is able to rotate upwardly about the hinges into the interior of the container.

The end portions of both long legs 12a of bottom frame 12 extend downwardly a short distance so the container will rest on short legs 12b of the bottom frame. This provides a sufficient amount of spacing be' tween long legs 12a and the ground to provide clearance for hinges 32 which will allow them to rotate freely about their respective points of attachment to the bottom frame.

The two innermost gate members each comprise a respective elongated round rod 34 extending parallel to and spaced a short distance from a corresponding edge of center rod 26. Each rod 34 is identical to rod 30 in that it is slightly longer than the distance between the short legs of the bottom frame so the ends of each rod 34 rest on top of the short legs of the frame. Each rod 34 also is hinged to center rod 26 in a manner identical to that of rods 30, each rod 34 being hinged by a pair of longitudinally spaced apart round metal bars 36 which are rigidly secured to rod 34 and are wrapped loosely around center rod 26 to allow the two innermost gate members to rotate upwardly about the hinges into the interior of the container.

The use of ball retrieving and storage device 10 is understood best by referring to FIG. 2 which shows the device used to pick up tennis balls 38. Short legs 12b of bottom frame 12 provide a stop for holding the hinged gate members in a closed position forming the bottom of the container. Thus, balls present in the container are held in the container as long as the gate members remain in their closed positions shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the instance where container 10 is used for tennis balls, the horizontal spacing between each rod and its adjacent rod 34, when the gate members are in their closed positions, is preferably about 1 /4 inch. The maximum width of a tennis ball is between about 2 /2 and about 2 /8 inches. Thus, the 2% inch spacing allows balls present in the container to remain in the container as long as the gate members remain closed.

When retrieving a ball lying on the ground, the user grasps the top of handle 16, places the bottom of the container over the balls to be picked up, and then pushes down on the handle to engage the ball between a pair of adjacent gate members. Continued downward force on the handle causes the hinged gate members to rotate upwardly and thereby provide a sufficiently wide opening which allows the ball to slip into the interior of the container. Upward movement of the gate member rods 30 and 34 preferably is restricted by an elongated rod or stop rigidly secured to container side legs 14 above one of the short legs 12b of bottom frame 12. Rod 40 acts as a stop to limit upward travel of the opening gate members and thereby holds the gate members in an open position providing a fixed opening whichis sufficiently wide that the ball can be easily slipped into the container with only a relatively small amount of compression, if any. Preferably, the maximum spacing between rods 30 and 34 in their open position (shown in phantom line in FIG. 2) is about 2 7/16 inches, which is sufficient to allow the tennis ball to enter the container with substantially no compression of the ball. Thus, the reduced amount of compression required to pick up the ball reduces abrasion of the ball, reduces the force required to be exerted on the handle by the user, and thereby makes the device both easier to use and less likely to damage or mar the playing surface when compared with the prior art ball retrieving device discussed above. Continued downward force of the container over the ball causes the gate members to eventually pass the balls equator, or point of greatest diameter. As the gate members pass this point they follow the natural slope of the balls outer surface below its equator, and are released from contact with stop bar 40. The gate members thereby fall under gravity into engagement with the top of bottom rectangular frame 12, which thereafter holds the gate members in their fixed closed position, closing the opening through which the ball has passed, and thereby retaining the ball in the container.

Although the device shown in FIG. 1 includes four hinged gate members, two on each half of the container bottom, the device has been found to be equally as effective at picking up and retaining balls when one gate member on each half of the container bottom is used. In this instance, a separate bottom rod is rigidly secured to short legs 12b of bottom frame 12 on each side of center rod 26 at a point at or very near the location of rods 34.

In a further alternative arrangement, stop rod 40 may be eliminated, or at least used as a security device for insuring that the gate members are not raised so high that they cannot drop under gravity and close after the ball enters the container. In the instance where the stop bar is not used to restrict upward movement of the gate members, the gate members are positioned so their maximum angle of inclination, when engaged with the ball, is substantially less than from the horizontal, so they will be sure to drop under gravity to their closed position when contact with the ball is released. Furthermore, the gate member rods 30 and 34 can be sufficiently heavy to provide additional insurance that the gate will drop under gravity after the ball passes through the gate.

An alternate ball retrieving device 42 is shown in FIG. 3. This embodiment includes two hinged gates instead of four. The container is made of wire rod having a bottom rectangular frame 44 and a top rectangular frame 46. Bottom frame 44 includes a pair of long legs 44a and a pair of short legs 44b. A series of substantially upright elongated wire rod legs 48 are rigidly secured between the bottom and top rectangular frames to provide a rectangular-shaped skeleton framework for the container similar to that of container 10. A handle 50 identical in construction to handle 16 is releasably attached to the opposite sides of the container.

The bottom of the container includes an elongated center rod 52 identical to rod 26 of container 10. The bottom of container 42 also includes a pair of fixed rods 54 located on opposite sides of center rod 52 and rigidly secured to the underside of short legs 44b of bottom frame 44. Each fixed rod 54 includes an upward projection 56 located at an intermediate portion thereof, and adapted to provide a gate member stop as described in detail below.

A separate hinged gate member 58 is rotatably mounted to each rod 54. Each gate member 58 prefera bly includes an elongated round rod 60 located between center rod 52 and rod 54. The length of each rod 60 is slightly shorter than the distance between the short legs of bottom frame 44 so rod 60 extends within the confines of the longitudinal distance between the ends of bottom frame 44. The ends of rod 60 are supported by a pair of transverse hinge members 62 rigidly secured to the ends of the rod and loosely wrapped around the ends of rod 54. Hinge members 62 preferably are part of one integral piece which also includes an outer leg 64 extending along the underside of the long side of bottom frame 44. Each gate member 58 is free to rotate via its hinge members 62 about a longitudinal axis through rod 54. Rod 60 preferably is of greater weight than the remaining portion of the movable gate member, so that rod 60 acts as a counterweight by forcing the movable gate member to maintain a normally closed position in which outer leg 64 is held in contact with the bottom of the long leg of bottom frame 44. A separate laterally extending rigid round rod 65 is rigidly secured to the bottom ends of rod 52 and rod 60 below short legs 44b of bottom frame 44 to provide sufficient clearance to allow the hinged gate members to rotate about their axes.

The opening provided in the bottom of the container between each rod 60 and center rod 52 is of less width than the maximum diameter of the ball to be retrieved. Thus, as shown best in FIG. 4, when the device is used for picking up golf balls 66, the distance between each rod 60 and rod 52 preferably is about 1 7/16 to 1 /2 inches in width. The maximum diameter of a golf ball is about 1% inch. Thus, when gate members 58 are in their normally closed positions shown in solid lines in FIGS. 3 and 4, the gate members will retain the golf balls in the container. Continued movement of the bottom of container down over the top of a ball causes the gate member to rotate upwardly about the longitudinal axis through rod 54 to an open position (shown in phantom line in FIG. 4) having a width of approximately 1% inches to provide sufficient room for allowing the golf ball to enter through the bottom of the container. As shown best in FIG. 4. the spacing between center rod 52 and rod 60 is such that rod 60 follows the outer contour of the ball as the ball enters the container. Continued downward force on the handle eventually applies upward pressure to outer legs 64 when the latter is in its lowest position shown at 67 in FIG. 4 to cause rod 60 to bypass the equator of the ball and thereafter drop under gravity to its normal closed position. Upward projection 56 provides a stop for limiting the upward rotation of rod 60 past a point which will not allow the gate member to return to its closed position. In many instances the gate member can rotate upwardly a sufficient distance to pick up the ball without having rod 60 come into engagement with projection 56.

As an alternative, the gate members in either embodiment of the container can include one or more biasing springs (not shown) attached to a point remote from the gates axis of rotation to automatically pull the gate to its closed position after the ball has entered the container and the gate has bypassed the equator of the ball.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternate ball retrieving and storage device 70 which includes an open top container for collecting a large number of balls. The container includes a rectangular wire rod bottom frame 72, and a rectangular wire rod top frame (not shown) spaced vertically above and lying substantially parallel to bottom frame 72.

A series of substantially upright elongated wire rods 74 lying in mutually substantially parallel planes are welded to the outer edges of the rectangular top and bottom frames to form a rigid, rectangular-shaped, skeleton framework for the container.

An elongated handle (not shown) extends above the container 70. Although the type of handle used can vary, it is preferred to use a pair of downwardly opening U-shaped rods which are bent at their ends to form a loose fit around opposite sides of the top rectangular frame of the container. Thus, the two handles will pivot about an axis through the top frame so as to pivot toward and away from each other. This allows the two handles to extend upwardly above the container so that they can be grasped by the user, and it also allows the two handles to hang downwardly beside the container to rest on the ground for holding the container above the ground.

The bottom of the container includes an elongated fixed rod 76 extending between a pair of opposite legs 72a of the bottom frame 72. The opposite ends of fixed rod 76 are welded to the tops of the opposite legs 72a.

The bottom of the container also includes a pair of spaced apart movable gate members or lifting bars 78 located on opposite sides of fixed rod 76. Both movable gate members 78 extend substantially parallel to the fixed rod 76. Each gate member also is loosely fitted at its ends to opposite sides of the container so that the gate member can move vertically up and down relative to the bottom of the container. Preferably, each gate member 78 comprises an elongated rounded rod which is bent at its opposite ends to form a pair of loops 80 which are loosely fitted around a pair of corresponding vertically extending upright rods 74 on opposite sides of the container. The means of attachment provided by loops 80 is sufficiently loose that each gate member 78 will be allowed to slide easily up and down on rods 74 irrespective of the slight outward taper in the two opposed rods. Preferably, the inside diameter of each loop is about three-eighths to seven-sixteenths inch when used on a vertical rod 74 having a diameter of three-sixteenths inch. This loose fit prevents the gate member from binding on rods 74 during use.

Upward vertical movement of gate members 78 is limited by a pair of elongated substantially horizontally extending stop bars 82 which are rigidly secured to upright legs 74 on opposite sides of the container. Each stop bar 82 is attached at least above loops 80 to limit the upward travel of gate members 78.

The use of the ball retrieving and storage device 70 is understood best by referring to FIG. 6 which shows the device in use picking up tennis balls 84. The legs 72a of bottom frame members 72 provide a stop for holding the movable gate members 78 in a closed position forming the bottom of the container. In the instance where the container is used for retrieving tennis balls, the horizontal spacing between gate members 78 and the fixed rod 76 is preferably about 2% inches. Since the maximum width of a tennis ball is between about 2 /2 and about 2% inches, the 2% inch spacing allows balls present in the container to remain in the container as long as the gate members are closed and resting on the bottom frame 72.

When retrieving a ball lying on the ground, the user pushes the bottom of the container down over the top of the ball as described above for retrieving device 10. This causes the gate members 78 to slide upwardly on their corresponding vertical rods 74 to provide sufficiently wide openings for retrieving the balls 84. The stop bars 82 are positioned about three-fourths inch above the bottom frame 72. As a result, the maximum spacing between fixed rod 76 and gate members 78 in their open positions (shown in phantom line in FIG. 6) is about 2% to 2 /2 inches, which is sufficient to allow the tennis ball to enter the container with substantially no compression of the ball. Continued downward force of the container over the ball causes gate members 78 to eventually pass the equator of the ball. As the gate members pass the equator, they follow the natural slope of the balls outer surface below its equator, and are automatically released from contact with the stop bars 82. The gate members thereby fall under gravity into engagement with the bottom rectangular frame 72 which thereafter holds the gate members in their closed position, closing the opening through which the balls have passed, and thereby retaining the balls in the container. The stop is especially useful in preventing the gate members from temporarily hanging up during downward strokes of the container, which substantially eliminates the possibility that balls already collected in the container will come out of the container while the gate member is open.

Referring to FIGS. 7 through 10, the present invention also provides means for constructing a mechanically simple rotary ball retrieving device which can simply be pushed along the ground to pick up balls 92 rather than pushing the pickup device down over a fixed quantity of balls. The rotary pickup device generally comprises a cylindrical-shaped cage having a hollow interior in which the balls are collected. The cylindrical-shaped cage comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart circular frame members 94 which are rigidly held together at the opposite ends of the cage by a series of laterally extending and circumferentially spaced apart rigid connecting rods 96 welded to the opposite frame members 94.

The detailed construction of the circular side frame members 94 is shown best in FIGS. 8 and 9. Each frame member comprises a circular outer ring 98 which spans the outer perimeter of the frame member and which rolls on the ground during use of the rotary pickup device. A stop ring 100 which is concentric with the outer ring 98 is spaced inwardly from the outer ring. An inner ring 102 which is concentric with the outer ring'98 and the stop ring 100 is spaced about equidistantly between the stop ring and the center of the frame member 94. A circular hub 104 (shown best in FIGS. 7 and 10) which is concentric with the other three rings is located at the center of the frame member 94. A series of radially extending and spaced apart rigid rods or spokes 106 rigidly attach rings 98, 100, 102 to hub 104 to hold them in their concentric alignment. Each spoke is welded at its inner end to the hub and extends radially outwardly to be welded to each of the three rings 98, 100, 102 to form a rigid circular skeleton framework. The relatively large spaces between the stop ring 100 and the inner ring 102 are covered by a series of radially spaced apart substantially V-shaped side frame members 108 for preventing balls which have been collected from coming out of the retrieving device. The tops of each V are welded to the inner ring 102, and the apex of the V is welded to the outer ring 98 between each adjacent pair of spokes 106, and also between each adjacent pair of fixed rods 96. The sides of each V also are welded to the stop ring 100. Thus, each V forms a triangularshaped opening 110 extending between the stop ring 100 and the outer ring 98 and located at the midpoint between each adjacent pair of fixed rods 96.

A series of laterally extending rigid gate members 112 are fitted into corresponding opposed triangularshaped openings 110 on opposite sides of the cage to provide circumferentially spaced apart movable gates extending around the circumference of the cage. Each gate member 112 preferably comprises a rounded rigid rod, the ends of which extend through the triangular openings 110 on opposite sides of the cage. Separate flange members 114 on the ends of each rod 112 hold the rods in place in the cage. The area of each flange member 1 14 is larger than the enclosed area of its corresponding triangular opening 110 to hold the movable gate members in place. However, the least one of the gate members 112 has flange members 1 14a (shown in FIG. 8) with an area slightly less than the areas of their corresponding triangular openings 110 so that the gate member can be removed from the cage to provide a sufficiently large opening for removing balls collected in the pickup device.

The use of the rotary ball retrieving device 90 is understood best by referring to FIG. 9 which shows the device in use picking up one of a large number of tennis balls. As shown in phantom line on the left side of FIG. 9, each movable gate member 112 is freely movable to each of the three corners of its corresponding triangular openings 110. Thus, when the cage is pushed along the ground, the movable gate members near the bottom of the rotary device tend to normally move toward the bottom of the V. However, when the device contacts a ball, the force of the rotary device pushing against the top of the ball tends to push the movable gate member 112 away from the ball toward the remote top comer of the triangular opening 110 as shown on the right side of FIG. 9. In the instance where the gate member is normally in its closed position resting on the bottom of the V, a bottom opening d between the gate member and its adjacent rigid rod 96 has a width of about 2% inches, which is less than the diameter of a tennis ball. However, when the gate member contacts a tennis ball and is pushed to the remote top corner of the triangular opening, the gate member engages the stop ring 100 which holds the gate member in a fixed position prov iding an open space d having a width of about 2 /2 inches, i.e., the approximate diameter of a tennis ball. As discussed above, this opening is sufficient to allow the tennis ball to enter the interior of the container with substantially no compression of the ball.

The rotary device can be pushed along the ground and can retrieve a large number of tennis balls simply by rolling the rotary device over the balls which engage the gate members in such a way that sufficiently large openings are continuously provided for easily allowing the balls to enter the interior of the container as the device is being rolled over them. The device is found to be especially suitable for use in picking up several hundred tennis balls from a court where players have hit a large number of tennis balls from machines which mechanically serve the balls to the players.

As shown best in FIGS. 7 and 10, the rotary pickup device has an upwardly extending handle 1 16 which allows the user to push the cylindrical cage along the ground without substantial bending at the waist. The handle preferably comprises a substantially U-shaped fixed rod 1 18 which opens toward the cage, and a yoke is rigidly attached to the fixed rod 118. The free ends of the yoke are releasably engaged in openings provided in the hubs 104. The handle further includes a U-shaped movable rod 122 which is attached to a sleeve 124 which in turn is rotatably mounted on a fixed rod 126 extending between the two legs of the fixed rod 118. Thus, when the rotary pickup device is used as in FIG. 7 to pick up balls from the ground, the two handle rods 1 l6 and 118 can be rotated together as a unit to provide means for conveniently pushing the rotary device. The cage then can be inverted as shown in FIG. 10 and the'hinged handle rod 118 can be rotated away from the fixed handle rod 116 to provide a base for holding the cage above the ground at an elevation where the balls can be easily removed from the cage.

We claim:

1. A tennis ball retrieving and storage device comprising:

a container having an open top and a bottom for holding a substantial number of tennis balls in the container;

a portion of the container bottom including a substantially fixed bottom member extending in a generally horizontal position across the bottom of the container;

support means on opposite sides of the container extending in a substantially upright position above the container bottom;

a vertically movable elongated lifting rod being normally in a substantially horizontal rest position extending across the bottom of the container generally parallel to the fixed bottom member and providing a spacing between it and the bottom member which is less than the diameter of aiennis ball so as to normally retain the tennis balls lh the li= tainer; the opposite ends of the lifting IQd being supported for guided vertical travel abQV the il= tainer bottom by the opposite support fiiatfi E6 the lifting rod travels upwardly into the container away 1 1 from the container bottom under the pressure of the container bottom being forced down over a tennis ball to provide a sufficient spacing between the lifting rod and the fixed bottom member to allow the ball to enter the container; and

stop means on the container above the bottom thereof for engaging the lifting rod to limit upward vertical travel of the lifting rod to an amount which allows entry of the ball into the container and for instantly allowing the lifting rod to release from engagement with the stop means and travel downwardly to its normal rest position in the bottom of the container for retaining the ball in the container.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means on opposite ends of the lifting rod loosely fitted around corresponding upright elongated support members on opposite sides of the container for allowing the rod to be freely suspended across the container bottom and for allowing the rod to slide vertically up and down relative to the container bottom.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the support means comprise rigid, elongated rods affixed in an immovable upright position on opposite sides of the container, and in which the opposite ends of the lifting rod comprise loops which loosely fit around the upright rods for allowing the ends of the lifting rod to slide vertically along the upright rods.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the stop means are affixed to opposite sides of the container for releasable engagement with the looped end portions of the lifting rod.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the stop means are separate generally horizontally extending rods affixed to the upright rods.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the bottom of the container includes a generally rectangular outer frame member, the fixed bottom member being affixed at its ends to opposite sides of the outer frame member, the ends of the lifting rod resting on opposite sides of the outer frame member to retain the lifting rod in its normal rest position in the container bottom.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 including an upright handle extending above the container to allow the user to push the container downwardly against the ball, the handle including a first portion attached to means for engaging the container, and a second portion which is hinged to the first portion so that rotation of the second portion away from the first portion will provide a stand for holding the container above the ground.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 including means pivotally securing the first portion of the handle to the container.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 including stop means for holding the first and second portions spaced apart after relative rotation to provide a fixed base for supporting the container above the ground.

10. A tennis ball retrieving and storage device comprising:

a cylindrical-shaped cage structure having rounded opposite sides, a bottom structure extending between the opposite sides and adapted to roll on the ground, and a hollow interior for holding a substantial number of tennis balls;

a portion of the cage bottom including a fixed bottom member extending in a substantially horizontal position across the bottom of the cage between the opposite sides thereof;

support means on opposite sides of the cage extending in an upright position above the bottom of the cage;

a vertically movable elongated lifting rod being nor mally in a substantially horizontal rest position extending across the bottom of the cage generally parallel to the fixed bottom member, and providing a spacing between it and the bottom member which is less than the diameter of a tennis ball so as to normally retain tennis balls in the interior of the cage;

the opposite ends of the lifting rod being supported for guided vertical travel above the bottom of the cage by the opposite support means so the lifting rod travels into the interior of the cage away from the container bottom under the pressure of the cage bottom being forced down over the tennis ball to provide a sufficient spacing between the lifting rod and the fixed bottom member to allow the ball to enter the interior of the cage; and

stop means on the cage structure above the bottom thereof for engaging the lifting rod to limit upward vertical travel of the lifting rod to an amount sufficient to allow entry of the ball into the interior of the cage and for instantly allowing the lifting rod to release from engagement with the stop means and move downwardly to its normal rest position in the bottom of the cage for retaining the ball in the cage.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 including a plurality of said fixed bottom members spaced circumferentially around the cage, and in which separate circumferentially spaced apart lifting rods are spaced between the fixed bottom members.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the support means on opposite sides of the cage provide a loose constraint for both ends of each lifting rod.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 in which each lifting rod is freely suspended across the bottom of the cage, and in which the support means and stop me ans cooperate to allow limited lateral and vertical movement of the opposite ends of each suspended lifting rod.

14. Apparatus according to claim 10 including a handle extending away from the container for allowing the user to push the container against the ball, the handle including a first portion having means for engaging the container, and a second portion which is hinged to the first portion so that rotation of the second portion away from the first portion will provide a stand for holding the container above the ground.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 including means for pivotally securing the first portion of the handle to the container.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 including stop means for holding the first and second portions spaced apart after relative rotation to provide a fixed base for supporting the container above the ground.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CGECTION PATENT NO. 3,926,465 DATED December 16, 1975 lN\/ ENTO I Amos N. Hoagland and Jens S. Jensen It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below: 0

Col. 2, line 60 "invention means" should read invention provides means Q Col. 5, line 4 "about 1 1/4 inch" should read about 2-1/4 inch Col. 5, line 39 "balls" should read ball's 0 Col. 8, line 1 "about three-eighths to" should read about three-eighths inch to Col. 9, line 45 "However, the" should read However, at

0 Col. 11, line 22 "port means comprise" should read port members comprise Signed and Scaled this [SEAL] S1xth Day of July 1976 Arrest:

RUT 6 a c. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner nflarenls and Trademarks 

1. A tennis ball retrieving and storage device comprising: a container having an open top and a bottom for holding a substantial number of tennis balls in the container; a portion of the container bottom including a substantially fixed bottom member extending in a generally horizontal position across the bottom of the container; support means on opposite sides of the container extending in a substantially upright position above the container bottom; a vertically movable elongated lifting rod being normally in a substantially horizontal rest position extending across the bottom of the container generally parallel to the fixed bottom member and providing a spacing between it and the bottom member which is less than the diameter of a tennis ball so as to normally retain the tennis balls in the container; the opposite ends of the lifting rod being supported for guided vertical travel above the container bottom by the opposite support means so the lifting rod travels upwardly into the container away from the container bottom under the pressure of the container bottom being forced down over a tennis ball to provide a sufficient spacing between the lifting rod and the fixed bottom member to allow the ball to enter the container; and stop means on the container above the bottom thereof for engaging the lifting rod to limit upward vertical travel of the lifting rod to an amount which allows entry of the ball into the container and for instantly allowing the lifting rod to release from engagement with the stop means and travel downwardly to its normal rest position in the bottom of the container for retaining the ball in the container.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means on opposite ends of the lifting rod loosely fitted around corresponding upright elongated support members on opposite sides of the container for allowing the rod to be freely suspended across the container bottom and for allowing the rod to slide vertically up and down relative to the container bottom.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the support means comprise rigid, elongated rods affixed in an immovable upright position on opposite sides of the container, and in which the opposite ends of the lifting rod comprise loops which loosely fit around the upright rods for allowing the ends of the lifting rod to slide vertically along the upright rods.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the stop means are affixed to opposite sides of the container for releasable engagement with the looped end portions of the lifting rod.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the stop means are separate generally horizontally extending rods affixed to the upright rods.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the bottom of the container includes a generally rectangular outer frame member, the fixed bottom member being affixed at its ends to opposite sides of the outer frame member, the ends of the lifting rod resting on opposite sides of the outer frame member to retain the lifting rod in its normal rest position in the container bottom.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1 including an upright handle extending above the container to allow the user to push the container downwardly against the ball, the handle including a first portion attached to means for engaging the container, and a second portion which is hinged to the first portion so that rotation of the second portion away from the first portion will provide a stand for holding the container above the ground.
 8. ApparatUs according to claim 7 including means pivotally securing the first portion of the handle to the container.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 7 including stop means for holding the first and second portions spaced apart after relative rotation to provide a fixed base for supporting the container above the ground.
 10. A tennis ball retrieving and storage device comprising: a cylindrical-shaped cage structure having rounded opposite sides, a bottom structure extending between the opposite sides and adapted to roll on the ground, and a hollow interior for holding a substantial number of tennis balls; a portion of the cage bottom including a fixed bottom member extending in a substantially horizontal position across the bottom of the cage between the opposite sides thereof; support means on opposite sides of the cage extending in an upright position above the bottom of the cage; a vertically movable elongated lifting rod being normally in a substantially horizontal rest position extending across the bottom of the cage generally parallel to the fixed bottom member, and providing a spacing between it and the bottom member which is less than the diameter of a tennis ball so as to normally retain tennis balls in the interior of the cage; the opposite ends of the lifting rod being supported for guided vertical travel above the bottom of the cage by the opposite support means so the lifting rod travels into the interior of the cage away from the container bottom under the pressure of the cage bottom being forced down over the tennis ball to provide a sufficient spacing between the lifting rod and the fixed bottom member to allow the ball to enter the interior of the cage; and stop means on the cage structure above the bottom thereof for engaging the lifting rod to limit upward vertical travel of the lifting rod to an amount sufficient to allow entry of the ball into the interior of the cage and for instantly allowing the lifting rod to release from engagement with the stop means and move downwardly to its normal rest position in the bottom of the cage for retaining the ball in the cage.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 including a plurality of said fixed bottom members spaced circumferentially around the cage, and in which separate circumferentially spaced apart lifting rods are spaced between the fixed bottom members.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the support means on opposite sides of the cage provide a loose constraint for both ends of each lifting rod.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 12 in which each lifting rod is freely suspended across the bottom of the cage, and in which the support means and stop means cooperate to allow limited lateral and vertical movement of the opposite ends of each suspended lifting rod.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 10 including a handle extending away from the container for allowing the user to push the container against the ball, the handle including a first portion having means for engaging the container, and a second portion which is hinged to the first portion so that rotation of the second portion away from the first portion will provide a stand for holding the container above the ground.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 14 including means for pivotally securing the first portion of the handle to the container.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 14 including stop means for holding the first and second portions spaced apart after relative rotation to provide a fixed base for supporting the container above the ground. 